Experts Predict an Intense Battle Over Obama's Healthcare Reform

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Ben of AZ, I think YOU miss the mark - of the meaning of being a human being. With your point of view, I would be afraid to meet you in a dark alley were I to have the last crumb of food on earth. Rather than let me share it with you, I am certain you would steal it from me, should you feel more fit!

Crumb Sharer of RI 10:29PM March 26, 2009

First the M.D's argument is infantile at best, and the college student has missed the mark. If it is the case that you have been diagnosed with some "unrelated" and "random" serious condition, then the question still holds, "why is that sufficient justification for me to provide my tax money to help you?" How can you possibly assert the idea that I should be forced to pay for your ailment? I don't have a moral obligation to help you, just as I don't have a direct moral obligation to stop the suffering of some child in Africa. Buck up and accept the truth of the world in which you exist; you are going to always be subject to nature - you will get sick and eventually die- I should not have to be responsible for such random and natural thing. This may sound cruel to you, but I hold a strong objectivist view about how we should approach healthcare - and by "strong" I mean social darwinism!

ben of AZ 4:01AM March 19, 2009

As one of those poor people I take EXTREME offense to you comment. Can you see the rest of us way down here under your nose, you elitist ignoramus?
I am a full-time college student on a professional track, that's supposed to be the very best choice, right? I'm first generation, pulling myself up by my boot straps, bettering myself in a nation where everyone has equal opportunity to achieve the American dream, right? Who paid for your books and your medical emergencies and your trips home while you were in medical school, Mike? Your parents? Your family? Both of my small-business owner parents preform much-needed services in their community and still struggle to keep up with basic house repairs and my recently un-retired grandparents sure as hell aren't going back to work to keep up on the coolest technology. In my experience people who take the stance you do have never in their lives known the feeling of not having a safety net underneath them. You're coddled and spoiled.
I'm offered very basic, very simple health insurance through my university. Most of my needs are covered and my prescriptions are discounted. It was perfectly adequate until I was diagnosed with a serious condition that NONE OF MY LIFESTYLE OR HEALTH-RELATED CHOICES HAVE CAUSED OR COULD HAVE PREVENTED now I have been seeing specialists (not covered) and getting treatments (not covered) for over a year now. I have been bouncing back and forth between doctors who discredit calls from other doctors and re-order expensive procedures which yield the same results tossing me back to a very confused, very frightened, very broke square-one over and over again.
I work three on-call/part-time jobs on top my my studies, Mike. I don't even have time to do a proper internship in my future career because I have bills to pay. It will take me two months of one jobs pay to cover a recent trip to a doctor who only spent 8 minutes with me and gave me no new news or plans of action.
Even if I could get private help with a pre-existing condition, I would have to quit school and accept my lot in life at whatever job would allow me pay for that coverage (a total fantasy scenario) OR I could quit school and get government assistance because I'm not eligible for it now since I have the option of my university insurance. Staying under that maximum income limit will mean no savings, no future home-ownership, no choices. Have you ever tried to live on $1,000 a month, Mike? I dare you to give it a shot.
While single-payer healthcare will have its drawbacks I don't know how a professional in your field could begin claim that the current system works and still sleep at night. There are those of us out here who are doing the very best that we can. We are working our asses off. The "Welfare Queen" stereotype is convenient for someone like you. You're a victim blamer, Mike. A blindfolded parrot mindlessly repeating "patriotic" rhetoric. Grow the f*** up.

Proper Choices of MN 11:20AM March 16, 2009

I, too, am a practicing physician, and I, too, work Labor and Delivery, but I do not share Mike the MD's views at all. As an American, trained in Canada, I have a real perspective on the single payor plan, and let me tell you, Mike, that your life would be SO much easier and your patients SO much happier with Canadian style INSURANCE reform. All this without compromising the quality of care check the public health stats and tell me why Canada tops us in almost all categories. It's a fact that 98% of Canadian are SATISFIED or more with their health plans, and even the DOCTORS are happy in general. Why? Because it's easy and fair. It's morally correct. Let's face the fact that health insurance is a huge transfer of wealth from the well to the ill, from the young to the old - who is better positioned to do that in OUR interest than the government? The doc's are happy, too because there is no army of middle managers telling them what to do, what not to do, issuing guidelines, requiring paperwork, and all the other nuisances that you can spend your day doing here. There, they get to practice medicine - as they deem appropriate!. They don't need to spend their money advertizing, their time glad handing, or their office resources on an opposing army lined up against the insurance companies'. Let's get it straight, Canadian Healthcare is PRIVATE! What is socialized is the INSURANCE COMPANY - Each province operates it's own and the doctors get paid fee for service, just like here. And a Canadian colleague recently quoted an income 50% higher in Calagary that I am getting paid to do my more stressful job here. And what do you think about the simplicity of dealing with just one insurance company? Sounds better that the 10 or so I deal with here, all with different rules and different payment methodologies - Our healthcare "system" is a giant make-work project for middle managers and beancounters and that's why we spend 17% of our GNP on healthcare and Canada spends 7% - what a waste!
Talk to some of our Canadian Colleagues Mike and you will believe, too!

Steve of DC 10:38AM March 14, 2009

Have you ever stood in line at the Secretary of State?
Have you ever visited a doctor's office in Canada? or asked a canadian how long it takes to recieve an elective surgery?
Have you ever seen the patient care at a VA hospital?
Have you ever seen health care protocols made by non-physicians?
I suggest that you do before you .

Will Thompson of MI 4:01PM March 13, 2009

As a practicing physician who actually knows how our system works, AND how socialized medicine does NOT work I take great offense at being told by the politicians that we have a "healthcare crisis". Anyone in America who truly needs emergency healthcare always can get it in the ER, and anyone who wants non-emergency healthcare can afford it by making proper choices.I work in labor and delivery and every "poor" patient on Medicaid I have cared for has always had the newest video camera, cell phone and digital camera to capture the moment of their child's birth. I think that shows their misplaced priorities as they spend money on personal luxuries while the taxpayer picks up the tab for their free healthcare.The politicians talk about healthcare REFORM, but what they really should be calling it is healthcare RATIONING.The government does not have the money NOW to cover the elderly and poor they are required to cover by Medicare and Medicaid.Every year the annual budget for government payments to hospitals and doctors gets reduced.The only way that the government can cover additional people with the same amount of dollars is to reduce the care that everyone gets-that is what happened in Canada, France, and Great Britain. Patients in those countries with socialized medicine have to wait YEARS to have surgery done. Americans need to realize that there is no such thing as a "Free Lunch", or "Free Healthcare".

Mike the MD of TX 4:08PM March 12, 2009

As a practicing physician, I can tell you the current 'system' has become an ongoing tug of war between insurance companies, drug companies, doctors, hospitals and plaintiff lawyers all competing to maximize the MONEY they earn everyday from the inevitable demand for healthcare. The government is (hopelessly) trying to control the billions it has committed to take care of the elderly, children, poor and disabled. Patients, who often through self neglect generate their ill health, nonetheless, get caught in the middle and usually lose.

of 11:03AM March 12, 2009

I am pleased to see all the involvement here! The more we pay attention and become informed, the better the eventual "political" outcome will be. We, the citizenry, must be more involved in our American government. The last eight years are a tragic example of what happens when "the people" are largely ignored and excluded from the process. Not good. We must never let that ever happen again. We can't afford it. The world can't afford it.
So, I have some good news for all the uninformed and sad cases out there: under HR 676 mental health will be included! You can finally get some help! You'll learn how to avoid getting your brains washed by propagandists like Rush Limbaugh and Fox News. You'll learn how to think for yourself. You'll learn that you actually share this planet with many other people, some of who don't even speak the same language! You'll discover that is was actually the American government that was responsible for putting men on the moon. You'll find out why almost every advanced nation on this planet already enjoys single-payer healthcare (instead of letting immoral profiteers muck it all up). These and many other fascinating facts await you! All you've got to do is support passage of HR 676.

Michael of CA 7:56PM March 10, 2009

Somewhat conflicted on this issue:
1 - I am a healthy person at a healthy weight. According to a Reuter’s article (2/09), 34% of Americans are OBESE and 32% are overweight. WHAT – does that equal 66% of AMERICA? I really have a hard time knowing I am going to be taxed the same as all these people - when I spend my life trying to be healthy. There are tons of medical facts that being overweight add SO much risk to ones health. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS.
2 - How would we be taxed for this healthcare? The first 20K you make is taxed by X% (so the 'poor' people have to pay)? I doubt it. Let’s just say this - if you wanna play - you gotta pay. Other than a few examples of handicapped, disabled or elderly (already paid into the ‘system’) persons, everyone who is over 18 years old should pay or you are OUT. If you are not working and you need care - please move to CANADA!!! Otherwise, get a job.
3 - I get it; healthcare is a right and not a business, etc. Just curious, if you are in a major car wreck and need care, do they look at your insurance card or just take you to the hospital? I thought there were many 'general' hospitals now that care for folks without insurance? A homeless dude gets hit by a car - so they just leave him in the street - I don't think so – they call it indigent care I think. I know its not perfect, but some of the posters act like you are just left bleeding in the street.
4 - WHAT ABOUT THE LAWYERS and LAWSUITS (cap them)? What is one large reason the costs of care have gone up so much? I will give you a hint.....
5 - Yeah, some people get really bad illnesses no MATTER what - I get that (and can you imagine as an EVIL libertarian, showing compassion). Couldn’t we work out some kind of ‘catastrophic illness’ type of policy? This way, we pay based on what we use, but in the event of a bad illness, this ‘extra benefit’ kicks in. Not a perfect idea – needs work – but something along those lines. Not all of us are going to get cancer or have a heart attack (see #1 again).
6 – If healthcare is ‘free’, what do you think is going to happen with all the immigrants in this country? No offense (if I had a yard project right now I’d hire you!). I don’t think anyone knows how many of them are even out there. So I have to pay taxes for these people. OH WAIT – most of them work, and very hard. So maybe if we gave them some cards to pay into the tax, we could solve the problem. I’m sure that is another can of worms.
7 – I think national defense is a bit shady and I don’t like how much money they spend on it. Nor do I like the amount of ‘aid’ we give to foreign countries. Please don’t put all the libertarians and republicans in that ‘bucket’. In fact – HOORAY – for the Obama decision on stem cells. Not all of us are bible beaters – some of us (younger ones especially) just want to work hard, make money and keep some of it to use to build our own lives.

someone_with_a_brain of FL 4:50PM March 10, 2009

1- Yes I am from Quebec, and enjoying free health care since 1970. I can assure you that I made numerous use of the health care system and that I am not defending the indefensible. The system is just excellent. I know some abuses took place, but that is to be expected from any human system be it private or public.
2- The information I have does not come from newspapers. You never know what the news media is defending. Get the facts from the Fraser institute or any other sources written by people that have actually studied the problem. A good summary is given by Moore in his documentary about the various health care systems in the world.
3- The current mess and vested interest in the US system will make it exceedingly difficult to move anything. For your information, the Quebec universal health care was instituted in the 70’s AFTER the government bought all hospitals etc.. It took 30 years to buy the infrastructures (Canada is a democracy and you just do not nationalize anything. You have to buy with the consent of the parties). Only after the government succeeded in securing the delivery system did the legislators impose a financial structure to finance it.
4- Here is roughly how it goes. The parliament (i.e. Congress in the US) allocates every year an envelope for health care. It is known from past experience that, say, 50,000 people will break a leg, another X will need various surgeries etc.. The government then goes to the medical associations and tell them: Here is the money. You fix the price of the procedures. The physicians know that it takes five minutes to do one thing and two hours to do another one. So they quote a price to the government to repair the 50,000 broken legs at Y$ per leg. At the end of the day, the budget is respected and the medical professionals agree to do the procedure at a fixed price.
5- At that point, all that remains to be done for the doctor is to bill the government for the services he renders. The doctors knows that the government is the only payer and that payment is guaranteed. So there is no need for collection agencies or office personnel to check the bank account of patients.
6- The patient NEVER sees a bill and is never asked to pay for anything, unless the service is not part of the agreed upon procedures. For example if you need a certificate of good health to join a hockey or scuba diving club, the examination will be at your expense, according to the fees set up by the minister.
7- When my wife had a baby, the hospital stay was free. But we paid $5 per day for the TV and telephone that were considered as luxury and hence not covered by the government. Try that in any US hospital.
8- If a physician abuses the system, then the medical association has the power to remove his license. The medical side of the system is policed by the doctors themselves. Simply because they know an abuse when they see it.
9- I can say honestly that I am delighted by the services I received.

serge gracovetsky of NC 4:44PM March 10, 2009